Tiger Woods wins the Masters for 15th major championship

Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, places the Green Jacket on Tiger Woods after the final round of the tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Woods has earned five Green Jackets. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods holds the Masters Trophy wearing his newly won Green Jacket after the final round at the 2019 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. It was Woods' fifth Masters jacket. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods celebrates with caddie Joe LaCava on the 18th green in the final round at the 2019 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on Sunday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods walks with Tony Finau on the first fairway during the final round of the 2019 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on Sunday. Woods went on to win his fifth Masters, becoming the second oldest to win the event. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
| License Photo

April 14 (UPI) --Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters and 15th major title on Sunday in Augusta, Ga., completing a comeback from major surgeries and personal scandal that derailed his career.

It is Woods' first major championship since capturing the U.S. Open in June 2008.

"It's overwhelming because of what has transpired," Woods said. "It's unreal for me to be experiencing this. I'm kind of at a loss for words really."

Woods' mother, children and girlfriend were all in attendance to watch him complete the comeback.

"When I tapped the putt in, I don't know what I did, but I know I screamed. And then I was just looking for Joey," Wood said about his caddie Joey Lacava. "I shook the guys' hands and then found Joey, and it was a pretty big embrace. To have my kids there, it's come full circle. My dad was here in 1997 and now I'm the dad with two kids there."

"I was just trying to plod my way around the golf course all day, then all of a sudden I had the lead, and coming up 18, it was just trying to make a 5," said Woods.

Winning in the Masters puts Woods one behind Jack Nicklaus ,who has the most victories at Augusta. He also is now three behind Nicklaus' 18 in major championships.

The victory for Woods makes him second oldest to win a Masters at 43 years, 3 months and 15 days. Nicklaus remains the oldest Masters champion at 46 years, 2 months and 23 days.

The green jacket ceremony was canceled because of the threat of severe weather.

A green jacket presentation took place in Butler Cabin and was televised by CBS.

"There will not be a Green Jacket Ceremony on the terrace putting green this afternoon in order to expedite gate closures," a representative for the club wrote in an email to golf.com.

Thunderstorms were expected to move into the area as early as 2 p.m. EDT, and tournament officials wanted to avoid extending play to Monday.

The Masters has not ended on a Monday since 1983, and that also was due to heavy rain.

Officials adjusted the tee times for the final round to try to avoid issues with the weather, with golfers teeing off as early as 7:30 a.m.

On Saturday, Molinari shot a 6-under-par 66 to take the lead after three rounds, two strokes ahead of Woods and Tony Finau. They were in the final group Sunday with a 9:20 a.m. tee time. Normally, only two golfers are paired up.

Woods has suffered with a number of injuries throughout his career that took him off the golf course.
The issues started in 1994 when he had a benign tumor removed from his left knee.

In 2008, the knee issues continued, as he had arthroscopic and then reconstructive surgery, both within a matter of three months.

While the knee continued to bother Woods, he also sustained a torn Achilles' tendon in his right leg late in 2008.

Woods' back started another set of issues, and he had surgery to treat a pinched nerve by cleaning out a disc fragment in 2014, and in 2015 had a second microdiscectomy.

In April 2017, Woods had his fourth back surgery, this time after back spasms, sciatica and other pain since withdrawing from the Dubai Desert Classic in January 2017.

While injuries set back Woods' body, a high-profile sex scandal in 2009 ruined his image as well as his marriage to former Swedish model Elin Nordegren. Reports came out that Woods had a number of extramarital affairs with a number of different women.

At that time sponsors, including AT&T, Gillette and Accenture, all parted ways with doing business with the golfer.

In 2017, Woods was arrested on charges of driving under the influence in Jupiter, Fla., near his home. Officers had found him asleep at the wheel of his 2015 Mercedes. He claimed it was a cocktail of prescription drugs. He pleaded guilty, and received probation and entered a DUI diversion program.

Moments from the Masters

2018 champion Patrick Reed places the Green Jacket on Tiger Woods after the final round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Tiger Woods wins the Masters with a score of 13 under par for his 5th Green Jacket. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods holds the Masters Trophy wearing his newly won Green Jacket after the final round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Tiger Woods wins the Masters with a score of 13 under par for his 5th Green Jacket. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods celebrates with caddie Joe LaCava on the 18th green in the final round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Tiger Woods wins the Masters with a score of 13 under par for his 5th Green Jacket. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods hugs daughter Charlie while his son Sam and mom Kultida watch on the 18th green in the final round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Tiger Woods wins the Masters with a score of 13 under par for his 5th Green Jacket. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods celebrates after winning the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Woods won the tournament 13-under-par. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods walks with Tony Finau on the first fairway during the final round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Justin Harding hits his approach shot on the 1st hole in the final round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Xander Schauffele hits his approach shot on the 1st hole in the final round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Francesco Molinari putts on the first green during the final round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Adam Scott lines up a putt on the first green during the final round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Webb Simpson chips on the first fairway during the final round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Rickie Fowler putts for birdie on the first green during the final round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 14, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Brooks Koepka hits on the second fairway during the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 13, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Francesco Molinari hits out of a bunker on the 18th fairway during the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 13, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Tiger Woods hits off of the second tee during the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 13, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Phil Mickelson reacts after almost holing out from the bunker on the 4th hole in the third round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 13, 2019. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Phil Mickelson watches his drive off of the second tee during the third round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 13, 2019. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Justin Thomas hits out of a bunker on the first hole in the second round at the 2019 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on April 12, 2019. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Jordan Spieth of the U.S. putts on the second green during the second round on Friday. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Brooks Koepka of the U.S. watches his drive off of the second tee during the second round. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Phil Mickelson of the U.S. watches his drive off of the second tee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Francesco Molinari of Italy watches his drive off of the second tee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Satoshi Kodaira of Japan watches his drive off of the second tee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Bryson DeChambeau of the U.S. watches his drive off of the second tee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Bubba Watson of the U.S. watches his drive off of the second tee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Dustin Johnson of the U.S. watches his drive off of the second tee. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Justin Rose of Great Britain hits his approach shot to the first hole in the second round. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Woods reacts after his putt for par on the 18th hole in the first round on Thursday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo